Abstract

This study addresses the relationship between parenting style and delinquent peer association as it relates to youth delinquency. Research has generally agreed that authoritative parenting serves as a protective factor against delinquency, and that delinquent peer association serves as a risk factor across youth of various ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic strata. The hypothesis of this study is that the risk factor of associating with delinquent peers overrides the protective factor of authoritative parenting on youth delinquency. This study uses longitudinal data from the National Youth Survey and employs logistic regression to explore the interaction between these two variables. Among the findings is the conclusion that, among youth aged 12 to 18, contemporaneous delinquent peer association overrides the protection of authoritative parenting. Implications include juvenile justice and parenting reform.

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